MEPs about Roma in Kosovo

On 28 of September 2005, members of the European Parliament at its session in Strasbourg listened to the statement of the European Commission about the Human rights situation of the Roma in Kosovo.

Dutch MEP Els de Groen from the Green/EFA group at the session stated the following:

The situation of the Roma community in Kosovo during the last six years did not improve. In 1999 since the arrival of the UN mission in Kosovo, the Kosovo Liberation Army, UÇK, has been using torture, rape, targeted killings, arson and burning of Romani houses as methods for the ethnic cleansing against the Roma community from Kosovo. The UN administration did not find any appropriate measures to calm down the Kosovo Albanian majority.

On the contrary, many clear anti-Gipsy cases are neither brought to justice nor even accused. Today, Kosovo is a human rights vacuum. Access of Roma to housing, health care and jobs remains extremely difficult, whereas children stop attending school for security reasons or due to a lack of money. It cannot be a surprise that many "returnees" are selling their property, unwilling to live in fear and indignity.In wartimes citizens of all ethnic backgrounds flee. When war is over, it is unacceptable that one or two ethnic groups are welcomed as citizens and co-decision-makers, whereas the others find themselves changed into disadvantaged groups, minorities and IDP's. This double standard approach on the basis of ethnic background is the worst scenario for the founding of independent states.

With the final status discussions drawing nearer, the exclusion of Roma from the decision-making process would be one more proof of the lack of respect for these European citizens. The high-level Pan-European consortium of Romani representatives, known as the European Roma Forum, has recently sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urging him to ensure a Roma representation during discussion of matters related to Kosovo's future.

Finally, I would like to draw your attention to our joint EP resolution on Roma in Europe. If we start implementing ourselves the recommendations about Roma participation, we can more easily demand the same from countries in South Eastern Europe.

Martin DemirovskiOffice of MEP Ms. Els de GroenGreens/EFA group

EDITORIAL COMMENT:Oh, how lovely, some more talk about the situation of the Romani in Kosovo and some more statements and documents. That will really help. Haven't they realized yet that they have backed the wrong people with their intervention in that for Yugoslav Republic? There was no ethnic cleansing of Kosovo-Albanians happening. It was something that was being concocted by those wishing for a greater Albania and the West fell for it and the West - the E.U. and NATO with their intervention - actually helped in the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo. Cleansing it of Serbs and of Gypsies. Just what the Albanians had hoped would happen. Officers of the Protection Force themselves have been openly admitting this. Now, when are we going to see some actions against the Kosovo Albanian Muslims? We won't; I can guarantee everyone that and while their lives are still in danger Roma, Egyptians and Ashkali are forcibly returned (repatriated) to Kosovo.